My first attempt at 'floating soap' has gone awry!

[WillZ]

Lard 25%
Coconut oil 30%
Palm oil 25%
Olive oil 15%
Castor oil 5%

Water % 38%
Lye concentration 27.6%
SF 5%

All went well to start with. I whipped the hard oils - just fine. I added the soft oils together with the colouring and 2 tbsp of fragrance - and whipped, which again turned out all fine. Then.....
I slowly added the chilled lye & water while whipping, and in no time at all my whipped soap turned into a dry crumbly texture.
WHY??? Can anyone tell me, please?

 

[ItsForrest]

I haven't tried whipped soap yet. Is there a reason you chill the lye solution? How cold was it? What temperature were the oils when you poured in the liquid? With 55% hard oils (lard & coconut) could it have hardened them when the chilled liquid hit them?
Is the Palm oil liquid or is it palm kernel flakes?

Also curious what the colors and fragrances are. Did you use colors and fragrances that you are sure work well with CP?

Sorry for asking more question instead of giving answers.

 

[Steve85569]

https://www.soapmakingforum.com/threads/smf-march-challenge-whipped-soap.58858/

Is a good read and MAY provide help.

 

[dixiedragon]

I think that between the coconut, lard and palm you maybe had too many hard oils?

 

[WillZ]

It's supposed to be 80% for whipped soap (or at least that's what I've been told)
Steve85569. Thanks for the info, it seems that most of what I thought was right - wasn't! I'm going to try again with less hard oils, no cooling or freezing prior to whipping.

 

[Rogue-Soaper]

If the lye solution is too cold, it can solidify the oils and butters upon contact.

 

[WillZ]

Hi Roque-Soaper I guess that's exactly what happened. I'll have to try to rebatch.

 

[jcandleattic]

I agree it's most likely the lye being too cool/cold, and not the oils. My recipe is 60-75% hard oils (depending on which recipe I use) and I've made whipped/floating soap with both recipes and had no problem with it.
I also try to use fragrances I know will accelerate quickly - because I have found that helps keep it whipped but have never had one seize or become too stiff when whipping like I do with just making my RT CP.

 

[WillZ]

jcandleattic are you saying that I should cool the oils? What about the lye? Room temperature or hot?

 

[jcandleattic]

jcandleattic are you saying that I should cool the oils? What about the lye? Room temperature or hot?

For all of my soaps I use RT oils and RT lye.
No exception for my whipped soaps.

 

[WillZ]

I'll do it your way.